Shattered
by happy molecule
Summary: Elrond is hiding something from Estel that will change their lives forever.....
1. Shooting practice

Estel slowly pulled back the string.  He aimed towards the target and released the string with a _twang!_  The arrow shot across the gorge and bounced off the rock.  

"Ke'yesh!" He cursed.  He threw his bow on the ground in anger.

"Jeez little brother, you shouldn't hurt your bow," Elladan said, coming up behind Estel.  "It is your friend!"  He picked up the fallen bow an effortlessly shot an arrow across the gorge and smack bang into the middle of the target.  He handed the bow back to Estel and patted him on the shoulder, saying "Don't worry, you'll learn eventually."

Estel scowled.  He was sick of people always telling him "You'll learn eventually."  Why couldn't they accept that he just couldn't do anything?  His father had tried to explain to him that although he wouldn't be able to do everything straight away, and he might never be as good as everyone else, it didn't matter.  Estel knew he said simply just to make him feel better.  The simple fact was Estel was a failure.  Unfortunately, he was a determined failure.  He yanked another arrow out of the quiver and aimed it at the target across the gorge.

"Estel!  Dinner!" The shout rang clear in the empty night.  "Estel!"

Estel ignored the calls and continued practising.  His father walked out and came up behind him.

"Estel, come on, it's dinner time."

"I'm not hungry"

Elrond cocked his head slightly to the side.

"Estel turning down food?  I never thought I'd see the day!" A worried look passed across his face.  

"Are you ok?  Do you feel sick?"

Estel smiled at Elrond's concern.

"No, Ada, I'm fine.  I just want to practise for a little longer."

"You've been practising all day, haven't you?"

Estel nodded.

"Show me."

Estel reluctantly pulled out another arrow and aimed it at the target.  He really didn't want to look like a fool in front of his father. He pulled back the string and released it.  The arrow shot across the gorge, and, just as it had all day, bounced off the rock to the right of the target.  Elrond picked up another arrow and came up behind Estel.

"Aim more to the left," he said, handing Estel the arrow.  Estel looked confused.  

"You're eyes are astigmatic."  After seeing Estel grow more confused, Elrond quickly added, "It means everything you see is slightly out of shape.  If you aim more to the left it will help to compensate for this."

Estel decided to do as Elrond said, since he figured he couldn't shoot any worse then he already had.  He pulled back the string and released, making sure he aimed towards where Elrond had said.  The arrow shot across the gorge and………..


	2. The strange lady arrives in Rivendell

Hit the target!

Estel was elated.  He began running around the small platform, singing, "I am so great!  I am so great!"  

He ran up to Elrond and hugged him joyfully.  

"Thank you Ada!"

Elrond laughed at Estel's outburst.

"You're quite welcome.  Now will you come inside and have some dinner?"

"Hell yeah!"  Estel released his father and ran inside.

Estel awoke to the sound of birds singing in the crisp morning air.  He smiled and, humming to himself, quickly dressed, grabbed some fruit and headed out to practise with his bow.

Estel was still practising when a strange woman leading a heavily-burdened horse approached him.  

"Excuse me," she said.  "Do you know where I could find Lord Elrond?"

Estel stopped and laid down his bow.

"I'll take you to him," he offered.  The woman smiled.  

That's very kind of you, young……"

"Estel."

A strange look passed over the woman's face.  

"Estel…" she murmured.  Estel was suddenly filled with dread.  Who was this strange woman?  And what did she want with Elrond?  Nevertheless he directed another elf to take her horse to the stables.  The, trying to collect himself, Estel led the woman into the house.

Estel soon found Elrond in his study.  He knocked on the door and opened it.

"Ada, there's a lady here to see you."

"Who?"

Estel shrugged.  Elrond looked slightly confused, but he indicated to Estel to let the woman in.  Estel stepped aside and she entered the room.  Immediately Elrond's expression changed to one of complete and utter shock.  The woman smiled.

"Hello Elrond."


	3. Truths or lies?

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed, you guys rock! Aw I feel so loved!  Oh yeah I forgot to do one of these at the beginning.  Anyways, this is officially my THIRD serious fic.  Scary, isn't it? Anyways, there may be a lot of discrepancies, but they are on purpose, so don't worry.  Oh and for those who have asked, Estel's age is undefined, but he's roughly 14.

Disclaimer: I no longer own the fellowship.  I sold them to buy chocolate.

Estel had been eavesdropping all afternoon on his father and the woman, whose name he had discovered was Gilraen, but all he had heard was a lot of talk about him, and a heated argument about whether or not to tell him something.  And so, as Estel sat down to eat dinner, his young mind was swamped with questions.  He was soon joined by his brothers, who were playfully arguing over whether or not you could taste the colour green.

"Who's Gilraen?" Estel asked suddenly.  Both of the twins stopped in mid-sentence.  Elladan's eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

"She came to visit Ada."

Elladan and Elrohir both looked very troubled.

"When?"

"This morning."

Elrohir looked at Elladan.

"It can't be her.  It's too soon.  She-"

Elladan quickly silenced his twin with a look.  The twins stood up and excused themselves from the table, leaving Estel with more questions than he started with.

_She's having an affair with Elrond, _Estel thought as he walked along the long hallways.  _Or she's from Mirkwood and she's come to arrest me for that time I locked Thranduil out of his house for a week.  Or maybe she's Amaïtcha's sister……._

Many possibilities as to the identity of the mysterious Gilraen flowed through his head, each making him more nervous than the last.  After what seemed like a lifetime, Estel finally arrived at his father's study, shaking at the thought of what awaited him.  He slowly opened the door and entered.

The first thing Estel noticed as he stepped into the room was the lack of order about the place.  Elrond's study was never the neatest of places, but it always had the appearance of order.  Now though, the room was in a state of upheaval.  Books lay scattered across the floor.  Glass crunched under Estel's feet as he walked over a shattered vase.  A half-empty bottle of miruvor lay on its side on the desk, its contents pooling on the floor.  Estel shivered as a cold breeze blew through the room.  He turned towards the window and found Elrond standing there at the open window, oblivious to the night chill.

"Ada?" he asked.  There was no response.  Elrond kept staring out the window, lost on thought.  Estel picked a chair up from the floor and sat down on it.  On the other side of the room, Gilraen was intently watching the floor.  Estel glared at her.  She suddenly seemed to notice his gaze, looked up and smiled at him.  Estel continued to glare back.  Whatever was happening, he knew it was her fault.

"Estel I have something to tell you," Elrond said quietly, turning away from the window.  Estel smiled at the serious tone in his father's voice, but his face fell when he saw the look on Elrond's face.  It was one of sheer wretchedness.

"It might sound strange and a little confusing to you; you might not even believe it; but I swear to Eru it's the truth."

Elrond began pacing the room, watching the ground as he did.  

"You're not who you think you are.  Gilraen is, in fact, your mother."

Estel opened his mouth to say something, but Elrond interrupted him before he could say anything.

"No, it's not what you're thinking.  I did not have an affair with her.  The-the truth is-"

Estel heard Elrond's voice break; saw him try to compose himself and fail.  Elrond stopped pacing, sighed shakily and looked Estel straight in the eye.

"The truth is Estel, you're not my son," he began slowly.  "Your real name is Aragorn; your father's name was Arathorn.  He was the Chief of the Dunedain, which in turn makes you the Chief.  You are also heir to the throne of Gondor; you're Isildur's heir."

Estel was shocked.  _HE_ was Isildur's heir?!  But he had no time to think about it; Elrond was babbling away now.

"-and he was slain when you were only two.  Gilraen was scared they would kill you too, so she brought to you here and I looked after you and –"

But Estel was no longer listening.  He was filled with utter contempt for this lying scumbag.  He couldn't bear to listen to him anymore.  He stormed out of the room.

Estel stepped out into the night and slammed the door behind him.  Elrond followed him cautiously.

"Estel, I'm sorry but-"

"Why didn't you tell me?!"  Estel demanded.

"We were scared at first, scared that Sauron would find you; we didn't want anyone to know who you were-"

"You could've told me!"

"I wanted to, but I was scared.  I was scared, Estel, I didn't was to lose you.  I couldn't help it; you were so adorable and I just couldn't; I didn't want to hurt you; I loved you; I still love you-"

"No you don't," Eddy said coldly.  "You don't lie to the ones you love.  No.  You only lie to the ones you despise; the one's you want to strike and beat and maim until they cry out for mercy, but by then you don't care, you just want to hurt them as much as they've hurt-"

"Eddy-"

"-but I don't care. Because you're not my father and I-"

"Eddy-"

"I HATE YOU!!!" Estel screamed suddenly, each word dripping with malice and hatred.  Elrond froze.  A single tear rolled down his cheek.  Suddenly Estel realized how much he had hurt Elrond, but he couldn't care, he was too enraged, and soon he was running, running, not caring where he was going as long as he got the hell away from him.  
  



	4. Consequences

A/N: By the way, italics are either flashbacks/dreams or thoughts.

_"And so the little fish followed the noise, and he found a big turtle.  The little fish was very happy because he wasn't alone anymore.  But then he realised that the turtle was crying._

_``What's wrong?`` he asked the turtle._

_``My wife died,`` the turtle replied.  ``And I miss her very much``_

_The little fish felt very sad for the turtle and he gave him a hug.  The turtle felt much better, and so he asked the little fish his name._

_``I don't know,`` the little fish said._

_``Well what did your daddy call you?``_

_``I don't have a daddy,`` the little fish said with a sob._

_``Well then, I shall be your daddy, and I shall call you Mïxel; my little gift from the Valar.``_

_            Everyone said that the turtle wouldn't be able to look after the little fish, because he was the ruler of all the other turtles, and he wouldn't have time to look after Mïxel; they said he was too old; they said that he was a turtle, and turtles did not have sons that were fish; but the turtle did not care, because he loved Mïxel too much to give him up.  And so he took Mïxel in as his son and they lived happily ever after………"_

Estel woke up with a start.  He smiled at his dream.  It was part of the story Elrond had told him when he was little, after his pet fish, Mïxel, had died. At the time, Estel had thought the story was very strange.  He hadn't understood much of what Elrond had told him, because he was only very, very young; and anyways, he knew that turtles did not have fish as children. But he had loved and adored the story, because Elrond had told it to him, and he worshipped Elrond.  As pissed as Estel was now at Elrond, he looked back fondly on the memory of the story he had told him.

"_And Mïxel found a turtle, called-"_

Estel frowned.

_"A turtle called Peredhil……"_

Peredhil - half-elven – was essentially Elrond's last name…..Slowly it dawned on him.  The turtle was Elrond!  Which meant that…

"I'm Mïxel," he said aloud.  And he realised that everything Elrond had told him was true; that he really did love him like a son. Estel had never felt so alone in his life.  He longed to be back home with Elrond and Elladan and Elrohir, no longer caring that they were in fact unrelated, because they were his family.  Without realising, he stood up and began running towards Rivendell.

"Ada! Ada! I'm sorry about everything I said!" Estel sobbed as he ran towards his father's study.  He opened the door.  "Ada, I-"

He discovered Elrond wasn't there.  Estel was quite shocked, as Elrond practically never left his study.

"Ada?" he called, questioningly.

"Ada's dead."

Estel turned around and saw Elladan standing behind him.

"WHAT?!"

"What did you expect, Estel?!  That you would come home and he would greet you with open arms and everything would be ok?!" Elladan shouted.  "He's dead Estel!  You killed him!  After you said all that crap to him, he was so grief-stricken that he just died!" He looked at Estel coldly.  "You killed your own father."

Estel turned and ran toward Elrond's bedroom.  He screamed silently.

_No, he's lying; it's another one of his tricks.  He's trying to get me all upset; thinking that Ada's dead, but I'll open the door and he'll be there and then they'll both laugh at me, because ADA'S NOT DEAD!!!!!_

And with that Estel violently yanked open the door.

Inside he found Elrond lying motionless on his bed.  His breathe caught in his throat.  Estel tiptoed to the bed.  He noticed Elrond's eyes were closed.  He knew that Elladan wasn't lying.  Elrond was dead.  Estel laid down next to Elrond on the bed, tears streaming down his face.  He whispered softly,

"I love you Ada."


End file.
